


...slowdance on the inside

by cherryvanilla



Series: Glycerine [1]
Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-11-16
Updated: 2010-11-16
Packaged: 2017-10-13 05:53:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/133695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherryvanilla/pseuds/cherryvanilla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You move slow like daytime drama."</p>
            </blockquote>





	...slowdance on the inside

**Author's Note:**

> Title and summary by Taking Back Sunday

It was the start of sophomore year the first time Arthur’s heart thundered in his chest. The scene was Ariadne’s basement. Since she’s the only one in their group whose parents have a basement, they stake claim to it for parties, both birthdays and otherwise. Tonight Ariadne somehow managed to convinced her parents to allow an Anti-Homecoming Party (naturally, the birthday parties are the easiest sell but Ariadne has this thing about telling the truth). Arthur turned sixteen last month (that party admittedly sucked). Therefore, when Ariadne saddled up to him at the start of the evening and told him that this night would be better, Arthur wasn’t holding out much hope.

Up until the Heart Thundering Moment, Arthur’s night consisted of Coke cans, damn good dip, and strobe lights. Ariadne forced him to slow dance with her to Tonight Tonight and Arthur closed his eyes and wished the body in his arms muscular and the cheek against his rough with stubble. When Yusuf suggested a game of spin the bottle, Ariadne had to force him back into his seated position on the beanbag chair. “Absolutely not,” he gritted out but she pleaded with him with those big eyes and Arthur slouched back sullenly. She had some nerve, truthfully, because she knew he’d never kissed anyone, just as she’d known he’d rather have been dancing with a boy. “It’ll be fine,” she promised, nodding discreetly in the direction of the many boys in the room. Arthur buried his face in his hands. They never subjected themselves to juvenile games such as this and he didn’t understand why it was happening now.

With Just a Girl playing over Ariadne’s stereo, Arthur naturally landed on Mal. The room jokingly hollered and Mal said, “Cobb doesn’t need to know,” before kissing Arthur quickly. And that was Arthur’s first kiss: hands braced against the carpet, leaning over a Coke bottle (because Cobb hadn’t arrived with the beer yet) and Mal’s slightly chapped, strawberry glossed lips on his. It was fast, chaste, and thankfully contained no tongue but still, it was his first kiss dammit; it shouldn’t have been so forgetful. Arthur chewed on his lip and scowled as he watched Yusuf and Ariadne kiss, and then Fischer and Ariadne kiss, both with tongue and having an infinitely better time of it than Arthur had.

Arthur audibly exhaled in relief when he heard footsteps stomping down the stairs, signaling Cobb’s (and more importantly the much needed alcohol’s) arrival. Mal bounded into his arms and Arthur felt a pang in his chest at that kind of love, even if it was high school. Cobb smiled brightly and twirled her around for a second before holding up the beer in triumph. Everyone cheered.

It was amidst the excitement that the Heart Thundering Moment occurred. Because Cobb finally shifted to reveal someone standing behind him. He was tall with shortly cropped brown hair that fell across the top of forehead messily. He wore faded jeans torn slightly at the knees, a white T-shirt that tugged in all the right places and a denim jacket. When he moved closer, Arthur recognized pins of Jesus and Mary Chain and Ride on the lapels and thought, ‘how on earth is that possible?’ but his train of thought was cut short because Dom was speaking somewhere in the distance. “Guys, this is Eames and you can thank him and his fake I.D. for the beer tonight.” Cheers erupted again. Dom explained Eames is a friend of his sister’s from college and insisted on coming tonight to see what ‘some American high schoolers are like.’

“Look like a decent lot to me,” Eames grinned and that’s when Arthur’s brain shorted out because oh my god, his accent was killer. Dom went about the introductions and when he reached Arthur, Eames stared long and hard, too long that Arthur thought maybe he had something on his face but refused to check. “Arthur,” Eames repeated and he looked like he was about to say something further but then Dom clapped him on the back and they went about distributing the beer. Everyone got situated, Mal on Dom’s lap on the floor, Arthur back in his beanbag, and Eames, lounging against the wood walls of Ariadne’s basement, legs Indian style. Arthur could feel Eames’ eyes on his and when he risked a glance, it was in time to watch Eames take a long sip of Guinness, eyes shining against the dim lights. When he lowered the can, Eames offered up a small, genuine smile and Arthur’s eyes narrowed instinctively. Because see, Arthur’s hair is entirely too long hair for a boy (even if this is the Grunge era) and his cheeks are entirely too red on a daily basis and he wears entirely too much flannel (again, even for Grunge) and so there’s no good reason why Eames should be focused on him.

Eames raised his beer to Arthur in salute or perhaps a peace offering. Stone Temple Pilots was playing when Ariadne announced they were going to start another round of spin of the bottle. Arthur did not protest this time, and refused to analyze why. Dom predictably landed on Mal and they kissed tenderly at length to a chorus of ‘awww’s’. Arthur nursed his beer and watched Ariadne’s jaw twitch when this girl Jennifer who Arthur didn’t know too well kissed Yusuf.

It was when Arthur was thinking the beer felt nice and he was starting to feel a little warm and he’d really love some more dip that he missed his name being called and realized the entire room was staring expectantly at him. “What?” Arthur asked, annoyed, and he watched Ariadne try to hide her grin. When Arthur looked down the neck of the bottle, now replaced with an empty Bud Light, was pointed right at him and the other was on…

The room was entirely too silent for this, as if they sensed the seriousness and really, that shouldn’t happen. There should’ve been shouts of ‘ew, gross’ or intense laughter but then again those aren’t the types of people Arthur would want to associate with.

Eames cleared his throat. “Shall we get on with it, then?” His tone wasn’t bored or aggrieved or disgusted. In fact, the words were a perfect blend of careful eagerness. Perhaps he was expecting Arthur to be the one to say ‘ew gross, no’ but honestly the pounding in Arthur’s chest for a second time tonight was all about acting as though this wasn’t the most crucial moment in his 16 years on this planet.

Arthur croaked out, “yeah, alright,” and then Eames was on his knees, shifting toward the center of the circle. Arthur mimicked his motion and vaguely realized Glycerine by Bush had begun to play. The first press of Eames’ lips was like a surge of electricity. Arthur’s fingernails dug into the carpet and his eyes closed on their own accord. Eames moved his mouth slowly at first, barely there, just a whisper of lips. When his tongue inched out to lick the corner of Arthur’s mouth, he did all he could to hold back a gasp. But then Eames dragged his tongue along Arthur’s bottom lip and pushed inside and there was no holding back at that. “Mmmph,” he groaned, for Eames’ ears only, and then Eames’ tongue was catching his own, suckling briefly, and Arthur licked his way into Eames’ mouth, just trying to keep up. Eames mouth was so warm and wet. He tasted like beer and tic-tacs. Arthur wanted to loose himself in the warmth, in Eames’ taste and never come out. It took him a few seconds to register the pressure on back of his head and then he thought, ‘holy shit’ because that was Eames’ hand, Eames’ fingers carding their way through his hair, finding the base of his skull and holding him in place while he kissed Arthur deeper and wetter and hotter. Eames made a small sound of need against Arthur’s lips and Arthur felt his cock leap. When Eames pulled back to nip at his bottom lip and capture it between his own, Arthur surged forward and just as he was about to put his hands somewhere, anywhere, preferably on Eames’ thighs, he heard voices murmuring. The words sounded like, ‘you can stop now,’ and ‘seriously guys this isn’t seven minutes in heaven.’ Eames released him and when Arthur opened his eyes, he noticed his lips were swollen and his face was flushed.

Arthur inched back, all too aware of the tightness in his jeans. Luckily, his shirt was long enough. Arthur noticed Eames was sliding back to his position against the wall and running a hand through his hair. As discretely as he could, he eyed Eames’ jeans and nearly choked on his own tongue because, well, there was no hiding that. Arthur’s blood pooled in his groin and he sunk into his beanbag chair for the rest of the party, ignoring the wolfish grins Yusuf was giving him and more importantly, ignoring Eames. Because if he didn’t just may loose every inhibition he had and crawl between Eames’ legs, but honestly one doesn’t go from first kisses to first blow jobs without some sort of middle ground.

It was midnight and spin the bottle had tapered off into Super Mario Brothers and The Legend of Zelda. Arthur had eventually gotten his erection under control and he’d vaguely heard Eames talking to Mal and Fischer and anyone but Arthur but then again Arthur had stayed on the other side of the room, not talking to anyone really, just playing video games with whoever joined. Ariadne’s mom appeared at the top of the stairs to announce so and so’s parents were here. Soon, it was just Arthur, Cobb and Eames left and Arthur lived only a few houses down so he’d be walking. He was busy pushing his sword into a mini-boss when he noticed Cobb stretching and hugging Ariadne. Arthur hit pause immediately. He stood up and Cobb clapped him on the shoulder.

“Good to see you man.” Cobb was a jock and a senior but he was also wicked smart and far too nice. “You too,” Arthur said, almost absently, because Eames was kissing Ariadne’s hand in a dramatic fashion, causing Ariadne to slap him away. Eames turned, grinning brightly but Arthur could see his eyes grow a little serious. He took a few steps toward Arthur and Arthur noticed Cobb and Ariadne moving toward the direction of the stairs.

“Arthur. It was lovely to meet you.” Eames drew the words out like a caress.

Arthur tried to speak around the lump in his throat. “Yeah, you too, man.” He tried for casual but sounded pathetic to his own ears.

Eames shook his head, almost imperceptibly. “Listen, can I phone you some time?”

Arthur felt his mouth open and close. “Uh..”

“Because I rather care to see you again,” Eames said quietly, in almost a rush.

Arthur’s brain and mouth were simply not connecting, so he just stared blankly at Eames.

“Eames!” Cobb called.

Eames waved him off and then scratched at the back of his neck. “Is this a ‘no’ then?”

Arthur licked his lips and willed his tongue to work. “I just, you..”

Eames took a step closer and put his hand on Arthur’s wrist. “I’d like to actually get to talk to you this time. You hid from me all evening.” Eames grinned, lopsidedly.

Arthur’s mouth twitched. “Um. Cobb has my number.”

Eames’ smile was blinding. “Brilliant.” And then Eames’ mouth was on his cheek, a quick press of warm lips on Arthur’s still too red skin. “G’nite, gorgeous.”

Arthur wasn’t sure if he replied, and his feet couldn’t move as he watched Eames retreat up the stairs, unable to tear his eyes from Eames’ ass in those tight jeans. In fact, he didn’t move at all until Ariadne wandered over and waved her hand in front of his face. “Earth to Arthur!”

Then he smiled, all teeth and lips and the crinkling of eyes. “Infinitely better than your birthday?” Ariadne grinned, poking him.

“Infinitely,” Arthur agreed. When he went to sleep that night, he decided to count Eames, not Mal, as his first official kiss.

[end]


End file.
